“Creating a new culture of self-reliance is needed to eradicate poverty”, H.E. Minster Mekuria Haile , Ministry of Urban Development and Construction underlined as he joined UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa Director Mr. Tegegnework Gettu to officially inaugurate the Entrepreneurship Development Center (EDC) on Monday, 27 May 2013.

Present at the launch were State Minister Tadesse Haile of the Ministry of Industry, officials from the Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency (FeMSEDA), and women entrepreneurs who had gone through the entrepreneurship development workshop and established businesswomen.

Mr. Tegnework Gettu said that given the ‘historical entrepreneurial nature of Ethiopians’, Ethiopia holds immense potential to move into ‘manufacturing’ through this ‘indigenous’ force and become a middle income country by ‘2020’. He further added that he was content to see many young Ethiopian entrepreneurs convening at the center, particularly women. He noted that the UNDP will render support to entrepreneurs engaged in small and medium enterprises and that a combination of policy support and practical training will help entrepreneurs grow businesses.

Minister Mekuria Haile highlighted Ethiopia’s development mission as one that aims to create ‘visionary and dynamic indigenous entrepreneurs’ through an effective implementation of micro and small businesses across the country through the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). The minister emphasized that the launch of the EDC marks a significant step towards uplifting business creativity and building business aspirations of Ethiopia’s youth and women. He added that the Center will act as an entrepreneurship coordination hub for the coming three years and announced that the Government of Ethiopia will provide 15,000 hectares of land for a variety of small and micro enterprises.

UNDP Ethiopia Resident Representative, Mr. Eugene Owusu, said that 250 people had gone through the entrepreneurship development workshop since the programme’s was launched by Prime Minster Hailemariam Desalegn in February 2013. 40 participants from across the country had also gone through a trainers of trainers workshop.